“Drop Test” Reveals Apple iPad Mini is Stronger than Google Nexus 7

A third-party warranty firm made an informal drop test for the iPad Mini, pitting it against the regular Apple tablet and Google’s Nexus 7. It turns out the 7-inch tablet was able to outperform other devices despite having a thin bezel.

Informal Drop Test by Square Trade

Protection plan provider Square Trade conducted a series of tests, showing how strong Apple’s iPad Mini is. Using a special apparatus, the first two tests were meant to see how rugged the devices are after dropping from a height of four feet. Meanwhile, the third test is conducted by dunking the tablets into the water for ten seconds.

Corner and Faceplate Drop Test

In the first two tests, the iPad Mini, the third-generation iPad and the Nexus 7 were dropped on their corners and front faceplate from four feet above the ground. As a result, the iPad Mini suffered only minor aesthetic damages after the corner drop, although it incurred significant fracture on a faceplate drop test.

On the other hand, the tablet’s 9-inch cousin had major cracks from the point of impact after the corner drop, as well as significant fracture during the faceplate test. Google’s Nexus 7 also showed some trauma during the corner drop test, although it only shows slight fissures in its display after the faceplate drop test.

Water-Ducking Test

The last test was conducted by submerging all three devices in a container of water for ten seconds. After they were taken out and inspected, it appears that the iPad Mini still functions normally.

Meanwhile, the iPad 3’s home button malfunctioned and it responded sluggishly to touch input. It was unclear what happened to the Nexus 7 as it was quickly glossed over and started to reboot during the inspection. As a result, Square Trade declared the Android device as “unresponsive” after the test.

Results and Insights

After the series of tests, it is obvious that the third-party warranty firm gives its nod to Apple’s iPad Mini.

Although results could differ in real-life situation, it only gives a reasonable look on how the devices could endure when dropped from a higher place. It also shows which tablet would survive best in a similar scenario. The results could also come in handy for those who are thinking of buying any of the iPad Mini, iPad 3 or Nexus 7.